Separation device for emission reduction in stables and animal stable

Abstract

A separating device for forming a standing area for livestock, in particular pigs, and for reducing emissions in pens, in particular in pig pens, comprises a base frame, a drainage element with a plurality of drainage channels which each comprise an outflow end, and shoulders, between which the plurality of drainage channels extends orthogonally to a drainage direction, a liquid-permeable endless belt with an upper run and a lower run, wherein the drainage element is arranged on the base frame such that a drainage direction of the plurality of drainage channels is directed in the direction of the outflow end.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A separating device for forming a standing area for livestock and for reducing emissions in pens, the separating device comprising:
 a base frame; 
 a drainage element having a plurality of adjacent drainage channels each comprising an outflow end and a plurality of shoulders between which the plurality of drainage channels extends orthogonally to a drainage direction; 
 a liquid-permeable endless belt with an upper run and a lower run; and 
 a one of the plurality of shoulders between a first drainage channel of the plurality of drainage channels and a second drainage channel of the plurality of drainage channels is formed by a first edge portion of the first drainage channel and a second edge portion of the second drainage channel, and the first edge portion is arranged above the second edge portion, and wherein the first edge portion or the second edge portion is buckled or bent along a longitudinal direction; 
 wherein the drainage element is arranged on the base frame such that a drainage direction of the plurality of drainage channels is directed in the direction of the outflow end, and the outflow end is positioned such that a liquid flowing out of the outflow end reaches a transverse drainage channel, and wherein the drainage element is arranged between the upper run and the lower run, and the upper run rests on at least a one of the plurality of shoulders, wherein the upper run serves as a standing area for animals. 
 
     
     
       2. A separating device for forming a standing area for livestock and for reducing emissions in pens, the separating device comprising:
 a base frame; 
 a drainage element having a plurality of adjacent drainage channels each comprising an outflow end and a plurality of shoulders between which the plurality of drainage channels extends orthogonally to a drainage direction; 
 a transverse drainage member, wherein the transverse drainage member acts as a first support for the drainage element; and 
 a liquid-permeable endless belt with an upper run and a lower run; 
 wherein the drainage element if arranged on the base frame such that a drainage direction of the plurality of drainage channels is directed in the direction of the outflow end, and the outflow end is positioned such that a liquid flowing out of the outflow end reaches a transverse drainage channel, and wherein the drainage element is arranged between the upper run and lower run, and the upper run rests on at least a one of the plurality of shoulders, wherein the upper run serves as a standing area for animals. 
 
     
     
       3. The separating device pursuant to  claim 2 , wherein the base frame has a transverse support member, and wherein the transverse support member acts as a second support for the drainage element. 
     
     
       4. The separating device pursuant to  claim 3 , wherein the base frame further comprises a first longitudinal member and a second longitudinal member, and the transverse drainage member and the transverse support member are each arranged on the first longitudinal member and on the second longitudinal member. 
     
     
       5. The separating device pursuant to  claim 2 , wherein the liquid-permeable endless belt comprises a module belt with a multiplicity of modules arranged on one another, has a degree of opening of 2%-10%, and has a gap size of 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm in a substantially rectilinear portion of the liquid-permeable endless belt. 
     
     
       6. The separating device pursuant to  claim 2 , wherein the transverse drainage channel is arranged on the drainage element, and the liquid located in the plurality of drainage channels flows into the transverse drainage channel. 
     
     
       7. The separating device pursuant to  claim 2 , wherein the transverse drainage channel is arranged on and is formed integrally with the transverse drainage member. 
     
     
       8. The separating device pursuant to  claim 2 , wherein the transverse drainage channel is arranged in an inclined manner. 
     
     
       9. The separating device pursuant to  claim 2 , wherein a substantially flat portion of the upper run of the liquid-permeable endless belt delimits the standing area for livestock and the drainage element extends substantially under the standing area for livestock. 
     
     
       10. The separating device pursuant to  claim 2 , wherein the base frame extends from a first end to a second end and a first deflecting unit is arranged at the first end and a second deflecting unit is arranged at the second end, and wherein the liquid-permeable endless belt loops around the first deflecting unit and the second deflecting unit. 
     
     
       11. The separating device pursuant to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of drainage channels have a channel cross section orthogonally with respect to the drainage direction and the channel cross section has a U-shaped profile;
 the plurality of drainage channels have a bead in the drainage direction; and 
 the U-shaped profile has a radius of smaller than 400 mm. 
 
     
     
       12. The separating device pursuant to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of drainage channels have a channel cross section orthogonally with respect to the drainage direction and the channel cross section has a V-shaped profile;
 the plurality of drainage channels have a bead in the drainage direction; and 
 the V-shaped profile has an inner opening angle of smaller than 180 arc degrees. 
 
     
     
       13. The separating device pursuant to  claim 1 , wherein a first outer drainage channel of the plurality of drainage channels faces the first longitudinal member with a first outer edge portion, and a second outer drainage channel of the plurality of drainage channels faces the second longitudinal member with a second outer edge portion; and
 the first outer edge portion or the second outer edge portion is disposed to rest on the first longitudinal member or the second longitudinal member, wherein the first outer edge portion or the second outer edge portion is buckled or bent over. 
 
     
     
       14. The separating device pursuant to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a control device to control a drive of the liquid-permeable endless belt; and 
 at least one sensor, selected from the group consisting of:
 a pressure sensor, 
 a weight sensor, 
 a moisture sensor, 
 a pH sensor, 
 a conductivity sensor, 
 a flow rate sensor, 
 a presence sensor comprising a light barrier, a motion detector or a camera, 
 an ultrasonic sensor, 
 a transponder-based sensor, 
 an ammonia content sensor, 
 an air humidity sensor, and 
 a temperature sensor; 
 
 wherein the control device controls the drive as a function of one or more sensor signals from one or more of the sensors. 
 
     
     
       15. The separating device pursuant to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one cleaning nozzle disposed to convey a liquid onto the lower run of the liquid-permeable endless belt, wherein the cleaning nozzle is arranged on the drainage element; and
 at least one cleaning nozzle disposed to convey a liquid onto a lower side of the upper run of the liquid-permeable endless belt. 
 
     
     
       16. An animal pen comprising:
 at least one animal holding bay; 
 a separating device comprising:
 a base frame; 
 a drainage element having a plurality of drainage channels each comprising an outflow end and a plurality of shoulders between which the plurality of drainage channels extends orthogonally to a drainage direction; and 
 a liquid-permeable endless belt with an upper run and a lower run; 
 wherein the drainage element is arranged on the base frame such that a drainage direction of the plurality of drainage channels is directed in the direction of the outflow end, and the outflow end is positioned such that a liquid flowing out of the outflow end reaches a transverse drainage channel, and wherein the drainage element is arranged between the upper run and the lower run, and the upper run rests on at least a one of the plurality of shoulders, wherein the upper run serves as a standing area for animals; 
 
 wherein the separating device is arranged such that a conveying direction of the upper run is directed in the direction of one or more of an inspection aisle, a disposal aisle, or a boundary element and the separating device extends over the entire width of the animal holding bay; 
 wherein the animal pen further comprises the inspection aisle and the disposal aisle, and the separating device is arranged such that a conveying direction of the upper run of the liquid-permeable endless belt is directed in the direction of the inspection aisle and the disposal aisle, and a conveying plane of the upper run of the liquid-permeable endless belt is arranged substantially in the same plane as the inspection aisle; and 
 wherein the disposal aisle is arranged in the vertical direction under the inspection aisle, and the disposal aisle and the liquid-permeable endless belt are arranged in such a manner that dung conveyed on the liquid-permeable endless belt is conveyed into the disposal aisle. 
 
     
     
       17. The animal pen pursuant to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 the inspection aisle; 
 a first animal holding bay with a first separating device and a second animal holding bay with a second separating device, wherein the first separating device is arranged adjacent to the second separating device; 
 a third animal holding bay with a third separating device and a fourth animal holding bay with a fourth separating device, wherein the third separating device is arranged adjacent to the fourth separating device; 
 wherein the first separating device and the second separating device abut a first side of the inspection aisle and the third separating device and the fourth separating device abut a second side of the inspection aisle opposite the first side; or 
 wherein the first separating device and the second separating device abut a first inspection aisle and the third separating device and the fourth separating device abut a second inspection aisle, wherein a side of the first and third animal holding bay facing away from the separating devices is arranged on each other or a side of the second and fourth animal holding bay facing away from the separating devices. 
 
     
     
       18. A method for separating dung and urine in an animal pen comprising a separating device having a base frame, a drainage element having a plurality of adjacent drainage channels each comprising an outflow end and a plurality of shoulders between which the plurality of drainage channels extends orthogonally to a drainage direction, wherein a one of the plurality of shoulders between a first drainage channel of the plurality of drainage channels and a second drainage channel of the plurality of drainage channels is formed by a first edge portion of the first drainage channel and a second edge portion of the second drainage channel, and the first edge portion is arranged above the second edge portion, and wherein the first edge portion or the second edge portion is buckled or bent along a longitudinal direction, and a liquid-permeable endless belt with an upper run and a lower run, wherein the drainage element is arranged on the base frame such that a drainage direction of the plurality of drainage channels is directed in the direction of the outflow end, and the outflow end is positioned such that a liquid flowing out of the outflow end reaches a transverse drainage channel, wherein the drainage element is arranged between the upper run and the lower run, and the upper run rests on at least a one of the plurality of shoulders, wherein the upper run serves as a standing area for animals; the method comprises the steps of:
 providing a movable, liquid-permeable floor defined by the upper run of the liquid-permeable endless belt; 
 supporting the floor on at least one of the plurality of shoulders between each of which extends one of two or more drainage channels each having a drainage end orthogonal to a drainage direction; 
 trapping the liquid in the plurality of drainage channels; 
 conducting the liquid away in a longitudinal direction of the drainage channels and subsequently in the transverse direction; and 
 collecting dung from the movable floor.